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Rita has been one of the mothers in the IGA scheme for six years, selling second-hand clothes and a local juice made from tamarind. In 2019 Rita suffered a major setback when fire gutted her clothes shop.

With the support of her husband and the IGA scheme, Rita has shown great resilience and rebuilt her business. Two years down the road she says her shop is doing well once more, allowing her to provide for her family. She attributes her success to the loyalty of her customers. Rita and her husband have a long-term goal to expand their house using the proceeds from the business.

When used clothes arrive from the UK/US, it is sorted into four classes; first-class is when an item of clothing looks almost brand new and fourth class is when the item of clothing is damaged or in very poor quality. Rita is selling first-class second-hand clothing in her little shop.

In case you wondered; tamarind is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa. It produces brown, pod-like fruits that contain a sweet, tangy pulp, which is used in cuisines around the world.